Bagged a Button Buck in a Blizzard!

[wyrmzr]

I finally bagged my first deer last night. I didn't even know at the time that there was a genuine blizzard going on outside those woods, and I'm glad I had a nephew with a 4 wheel drive truck to help me get the deer, and myself, out of the woods.
The woods are only 4 miles from my house, 3 miles from his, and it still took him 20 minutes to drive the 3 miles, having to stop frequently as he couldn't see the road.
126813

I've got the buck skinned, but was hoping to age him in my garage. Unfortunately, it appears the garage is too cold at 28 degrees. Over the next few days I'll quarter him; being a button buck, he won't be all that bad for toughness anyway.
For the record, the .54 caliber muzzle ball went through his neck, and severed a jugular. He died very quickly, and the fast bleed out is supposed to help the flavor of the meat, from what I hear.

[Bo1]

Congratulations, good eating...
Bo

[OverMax]

When it comes to a fawn there the best eating period bleed out or not. I call them littl fellers & gals "Tenderbites"
Really the best way to start out is the harvesting of a small one. Congrads on your very >First< sir.

[Omnivore]

Nice! And congratulations! There's nothing like serving up a fine steak that you caught and processed yourself.

There are a lot of firmly believed theories on what makes for a good-eating deer. In my observation of more than a few white tails in the Northwest, it comes down to the age of the animal being the most significant factor. The older bucks (the "trophy" bucks) are the worst, any young deer is the best, and a mature doe is better than a mature buck. If it's a "gamy" animal, having it bleed out isn't going to do much. An early adolescent buck, around a three-pointer in a White tail, is probably the best balance between getting a lot of meat and having it be good eating (a buck has more muscle than a doe of the same size or age).

[white eagle]

well done congradulations
a patched rb too good for you

[CastingFool]

Congrats on your first deer. Fresh venison is always good. I have yet to kill a deer with a muzzleloader, but the time is coming.

[dilly]

Congratulations!

Be careful though... we don't want to be reading a story about a guy who was found in NE IA frozen with a button buck over his shoulder.

[wyrmzr]

Fun part of the blizzard is I didn't even realize how bad it was outside the woods I was hunting. I got back out to the parking area, cranked up the car to warm up, and wait for the deer to expire, and seriously wasn't sure I could get out of the parking area! He did some drift busting, and we drove back to my place very slowly, then got that buck hung up in the garage.
I believe this deer is the one I was beginning to call "My 2:30 appointment", because I had a single deer that frequently went through that section by him/herself between 2:30 and 3:00. Seemed to do that more than half the time I hunted that spot. Usually came in from the south, but at least once did so from the north. I sat in that same spot again the last 2 days, and the 2:30 appointment didn't pass through.

[shoot-n-lead]

Congrats!

Our season ends on the Jan 15th...I would sure like to get another one.

[Hanshi]

Congratulations on your first ML kill, wyrmzr; it won't be your last, either. Shoot-n-lead, being from Ga originally I do miss those long season, high limits and good weather. Good luck.

[wyrmzr]

Yep, I'm addicted for sure now. I'm very impressed with the muzzle loader I have; got it used for $120, it's a Traditions Inline. I think the Buck Hunter.
This muzzle loader has a better trigger than most of my other guns, by a long way.

[michiganmike]

Congratulations on the nice buck. Yum! "Bagged a button buck in a blizzard." Say that ten times while rubbing your stomach and patting your head.